This is yourRichmond-Petersburg
Classroom

Real filmmaking education. Real film industry connections.

An Immersive
Film Education

From directing to producing to editing and screenwriting, our externship-based, mentor-taught programs avoid the unnecessary costs and unrelated requirements of typical film schools and programs. Work directly with accomplished industry veteran filmmakers at one of our fully-equipped film production companies across the country.

Just Last Month

112 Job Positions were Filled

120 Student Wins Achieved

200 Tutorial Sessions were Given

Programs

Director / Producer / Screenwriter

You will study inside a real film production company in your city as you develop your movie idea with a professional filmmaker. Then, upon meeting the necessary requirements, you will be given the opportunity to fly to Los Angeles or New York and pitch your film idea to an executive who could buy or get your movie made.

Film Editing

In many ways the film editor is the most misunderstood of all film professionals. Often considered just a film technician, a good editor is so much more than that. He or she is also a qualified storyteller of the highest order.

Cinematography

The cinematographer is literally the set ‘magician.’ DPs are responsible for the technological wizardry required to get the needed shots and to shape light to achieve the director’s desired artistic effect.

You will study inside a real film production company in your city as you develop your movie idea with a legendary to filmmaker. Then you will fly to Los Angeles or New York to pitch your idea to an executive that could buy or get your movie idea made.

The screenwriter is the person who creates, takes, or adapts an idea and formulates a screenplay. Without the writer, there would be no movie. Period. He or she is the starting gate. He or she is the person that starts the ball rolling down the hill.

In many ways the film editor is the most misunderstood of all film professionals. Often considered just a film technician, a good editor is, without doubt, much more than that. He or she is also a qualified storyteller of the highest order.

The cinematographer is literally the set ‘magician.’ DPs are responsible for the technological wizardry to help create the needed light, while at the same time also having the keen sensibility to shape the light for the greatest artistic effect.

Richmond-Petersburg

Film Connection Locations

Schedule a Tour

Visit a Film Production Company
In Richmond-Petersburg

Get started with a tour of one of our Virginia apprenticeship/externship locations. Or call us for more information at 800-295-4433

Tuition
Comparison

Film Connection’s unique mentor-style education is far more cost-effective than trade schools or traditional colleges and on average, requires less financing (based on national averages). Compare the true costs of education.

Meet our Faculty

Why learn from teachers when you can learn from the professionals?

Greg Freeman Richmond-Petersburg Mentor

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Greg Freeman Richmond-Petersburg Mentor

Background

Greg Freeman is an award-winning Director of Photography with nearly two decades in news, sports, entertainment, special programming, documentaries, and commercials. Greg has directed projects for nearly every major television network including ABC, Discovery, ESPN, HBO, HGTV, NBC, PBS, and more.

Tom Malloy Richmond-Petersburg Mentor

Tom Malloy Richmond-Petersburg Mentor

Background

Jason Jackson Richmond-Petersburg Mentor

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Jason Jackson Richmond-Petersburg Mentor

Background

Past productions include LMN’s Monstresses; Investigation Discovery’s Cuff Me If You Can; America’s Most Haunted and UFO’s Crashed my Vacation; America’s Most Secret and I Faked My Own Death for Discovery; National Geographic’s 42 Ways to Kill Hitler and Don’t Try This At Home; Vampire Secrets and Ancient Ink for The History Channel; Las Vegas Bikers for truTV; Weather Channel’s Full Force Nature; True Confessions for WE-TV as well as Beyond Death and Investigative Reports for A&E.

Matthew Temple Richmond-Petersburg Mentor

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Matthew Temple Richmond-Petersburg Mentor

Background

“All aspects of filmmaking are primarily experiential, so a program like this one gives the students what they need most- the opportunity to DO.” — Matthew Temple, Producer of “The Advocate” and Universal’s “Dragon Nest: Warriors’ Dawn”

Matthew Temple has long stood at the crossroads of art and social action–his work and passion split between telling stories and participating in the creation of new paradigms wherein new stories for the future can be created. As a storyteller, he works as a screenwriter, director, producer and actor. As a social entrepreneur, he is the founder and president of the non-profit WeStrive, where he is the executive director of the Wandering Reel Traveling Film Festival. Temple is currently VP of Production and Development for Mili Pictures Worldwide.

Nick Kielhold Richmond-Petersburg Mentor

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Nick Kielhold Richmond-Petersburg Mentor

Background

Nick is your basic military brat. Except for the fact that neither of his parents were actually in the military. But, like many military families, his family moved several times during his youth, living in Omaha, Chicago, and Minneapolis among other places. And although he wasn’t living on military bases, he developed a deep interest in History, and all things military. Ask him about the Battle of Tarawa in 1943, and you may just get an entire lesson on the Pacific Theater of World War II. When he’s not painting tanks for his war game simulations, Nick works here. He shoots video. He edits video. He talks about World War II. A lot. Anyone who comes into contact with Nick will become much better versed in the history of mankind and all the wars it has produced over the years. Nick provided 50% of the formula that founded Full Effect Productions over 18 years ago, and has played a vital role in its success. Nick is a 1987 graduate of the University of South Dakota, and his previous experience includes working at a local TV station as Commercial Videographer/Producer. Not taking a cue from his parents, Nick has decided to keep his family in one city, and has called Sioux City, Iowa home since 1988. He has a wife of 29 years and an adult son and daughter. In his free time, Nick can be found studiously painting small military ships, tanks and airplanes. He has amassed large numbers of these items that comprise entire military units used for battles at the MAGECON gaming convention. He’s a film buff who’s recently installed home theater has him positively giddy, and hardly ever seeing daylight.

Sandy Stern Richmond-Petersburg Mentor

Background

Rob Helmstetter Richmond-Petersburg Mentor

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Rob Helmstetter Richmond-Petersburg Mentor

Background

Rob has experience with major corporate ad agencies Publicis, Medicus, Digitas based in New York and Chicago. He has always been on the bleeding edge of technology and believes that services should be simple for the viewers.

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The Film Scene in Richmond-Petersburg

The Richmond-Petersburg, Virginia Film Connection Film School Alternative

The film industry is changing. It’s a fact. The traditional route of attending film school, then making a short, and then praying that it gets picked up on the festival circuit is dead.

If you’re an aspiring filmmaker and you’re looking to break in to the film industry you need to attack things from a different angle. You need to get out there and meet people. You need to shake hands and impress people with your diligent work ethic.

The Richmond-Petersburg Film Connection Film School Film School is your best bet for a successful career in the film industry. The Film Connection runs on an apprentice/mentor basis. We will team you up with working industry professional who can help you achieve your dream.

We’ll also team you up with a Hollywood screenwriter that will help you write a screenplay, an editor, and two mentors that will help you through all of your creative decisions.

Richmond is the state capital of Virginia, anchoring a greater metro area of over 1.2 million people. About 20 miles to the south lies the smaller community of Petersburg with a population of around 34,000. These cities lie in a strategic area, close to plenty of natural scenery and urban backdrops ideal for location filming. A number of entertainment pros and celebrities have had ties to the area, including Shirley MacClaine, Warren Beatty, Blair Underwood and Joseph Cotten.

Many major movies, commercials, TV shows and documentaries are filmed throughout Virginia, and the Richmond-Petersburg is no exception. Some of the movies that have been filmed in and around this area include Cold Mountain, Doc Hollywood, Evan Almighty, Mission Impossible III, G.I. Jane, The Jackal, and acclaimed TV mini-series John Adams, just to name a few. If you are considering a film career as a film director, film producer, film editor or otherwise, you’ll find the Richmond-Petersburg area to have plenty of opportunities to learn.

With our many professional connections and relationships forged over the years, FILM CONNECTION is in a unique position to help fulfill your dreams of a career in the film and TV industry. Our revolutionary mentor-apprentice (extern) approach pairs you with a working film or TV professional who personally instructs you giving you access to the real-world industry in ways other film schools can’t match. Discover why over 70% of our graduates go on to permanent employment. Enroll in our Richmond-Petersburg Film School, and let us get you on the set!

Connections Matter

Learn From Industry Pros

The Film Connection film school alternative is endorsed by filmmakers who are making the movies you love.

Professionals in the film business—including many of the famous producers, screenwriters and directors who’ve worked on the films that inspire you—endorse Film Connection’s programs for one simple reason: they know our immersive hands-on method works.

Mark Kohn

Marc is an accomplished executive with a consistent record of managing costs, measuring progress with metrics and creating operational efficiencies. He’s a thoughtful and enthusiastic professional possessing the ability to create a vision, gain executive alignment and effectively lead dynamic high performance teams for success.

Jason Hewitt

Jason Hewitt, a native of Louisiana, left the technology industry to join the film and television industry. Hewitt was an early mover in the Internet economy, founding the website creation and marketing management company Planet Symphony in 1994.

ICM Partners

Carl Millender

Carl Millender born in Shreveport, Louisiana on March 5, 1970 is a pioneer in the film and television industry. In 1990 Carl Millender became a cultural consultant for NBC’s new programs, including “The Fresh Prince of Bel-air”, “Seinfeld”…

Brian Glazen

Equal parts MacGyver, Steven Spielberg and Gandhi, Brian has ideas. Ideas about marketing, ideas about communication and ideas about fixing just about anything that might be broken. When he’s not sharing his ideas with clients you can usually find him fixing things at his own home or eagerly searching for things that may need fixing…

Sam Borowski

“Film Connection truly is the ‘Film School of Hard Knocks.’ It helps new students to gain experience and network and teaches one thing I always preach to young filmmakers: practicality. It gives new students and would-be filmmakers, writers and editors, a chance to connect personally with their mentors.”

Alex Keledjian

Richard Berg

Richard Berg is an Art Director’s Guild and Emmy nominated Production Designer. He is responsible for the Production Design of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, Eleventh Hour, Miami Medical, Chase and Modern Family. Berg is also an architect.

Jeff Kushon

Great program. I’m proud to be a part of it.” Jeff has worked on over 200 film sets and has been a Set Decorator on hit movies, “Dude Where’s My Car”, “Nurse Betty”, “Blade 2”, “Beautiful”, “She’s All That” as well as TV shows “Modern Family”, “Trust Me” and “Miami Medical”.

Luis Estrada

“Our first apprentice (extern) in this program was put right in the middle of the action and it was amazing how he was able to learn by doing. This Film Connection is great for people with a sincere interest in this field. Our apprentice (extern) turned out to be a reliable resource and we hope […]

Matt Pellowski

“Being paired with working professionals and established companies allows up-and-coming artists to learn on the job, introduces them to the realities of film production, and helps them acquire the tools needed to become successful. Two of our current staff are graduates of the Film Connection.”